Birdfeeding: Friends of a Feather Flock Together

Opened Mayhem's absolute favorite window, set up the phone with the Merlin Bird ID app going.

Got a great, long list of hits almost immediately- Northern Flicker, Red Bellied Woodpecker, several Sparrows, House Wren, Blue Jays, Cardinals, etc. Come back 10 minutes later and...

Mayhem had managed to shut the app down without saving it first.

*headdesk*

Now to start over, lol. (And of course, got Blue Jay hits immediately).

Waiting on Chewy order with suet, seed and such, which is sorely needed as several suet feeders are empty and I scattered the last of the seed this morning.

Got some native Elderberry and native Crabapple seedlings from Virginia Forestry. Hoping to get those planted this weekend and looking forward to what they bring to the yard in the future.

Sat afternoon, hanging out on the trees just the other side of the fence.

This is only the 3rd time I've spotted this bird, let alone got clear enough photos to positively identify them, here at Five Oaks.

Next to the Red Headed Woodpecker and the Yellow Bellied Sapsucker, these are the hardest Woodpeckers to get photos of here. I swear they know when you're trying to get a photo of them. Heh.

Good bird viewing today. Getting their feeding in before the weather comes in this afternoon/evening.

Two new to me birds too- a Brownheaded Nuthatch and a Fox Sparrow. I'm used to the Whitebreasted ones, so will have to watch for this one. So. Many. Sparrows. That's *3* in one area. And I know there's Field Sparrows around here too.



Left- Back feeding area. Right- Front porch feeding area.


I also caught the resident Red Shouldered Hawk, likely on flyover. And the oh so elusive Red Bellied Woodpecker. I swear they know when I'm watching for them. The Crows tend to go from the front too the back, where there's a feeding station out in the open for them- it needs refilling. Mourning Dove army, as I call them, was out back. Caught the Downy on the back feeders, despite seeing it on the front suet nugget feeder.

Plain seed feeders need refilling before the rain starts and I noticed a couple empty spots on my quad suet feeder on the porch. So off to do that before the weather comes in.


Ok, refilled feeders, refilled feeding station for Crows...

And came back to the front porch where the House Finches had taken over the seed feeders already, along with Cardinals and Tufted Titmouse. Heh.




Ran the app while filling everything..



Sat out there for a little bit. Caught the Fox Sparrow again. Still haven't spotted it though. Golden Crowned Kinglet I've had before. But it's interesting which birds move to the front versus the back in the afternoon. I guess the Goldfinches overwinter here. Interesting.

Was thoroughly berated by the Blue Jays, and I was getting chilled, so called it and headed back in. Enjoy, feathered friends, enjoy.